CONVICTED: Singapore Motors boss, Fareed Arshed

By Tupuola Terry Tavita

In the wake of efforts to extradite a convicted Singapore to his home country, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi this week pointed concerns government has of having these foreigners in our prisons.

“Returning these foreigners to their home countries is not only for their personal protection but to spare government and taxpayers the consequences of something that might happen to them.�?

The Prime Minister said the experience was that some foreigners have different cultural and religious backgrounds that require special treatment.

“They don’t eat the same food as the other inmates, don’t share their faith and some of them have illnesses that require expensive treatment putting more pressure on taxpayer dollars.

“We also have to be careful in the sense that they might get an upper-cut from one of the guards or cell mates and the State will have to fork out for any such complaints they might lodge. The only equitable solution is to send them back to their home countries. Let their government deal with them.�?

The Prime Minister said there were plenty lessons to be learnt from the recent case involving a Nigerian offender who was locked up at Tafaigata.

“Government ended up paying a lot of money to have this man extradited back to Africa. What’s worse is knowing that these are prolific criminals and are not good people. But we still forked out for them under the law because they have rights in our country.�?

The Singaporean in question – who was involved in the Singapore Motor car dealership – was convicted a fortnight ago for fraud and car theft.

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